Holding Out For A Hero
by scarlett2112
Summary: "Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it"


Holding her daughter's hand, Elena and Olivia walk barefoot along the beach, enjoying the feeling of the sand as it squishes between their toes. It's a beautiful afternoon. The sun is shining brightly, not a cloud to be seen. The water is calm, gently lapping against the shore leaving a light trail of foam in its wake. They love to come here. The view is incredible, huge monoliths dot both the shoreline and the horizon in front of them. Olivia loves to pick up seashells, sand dollars, sea glass and drift wood. They have a huge fish net at home that they weave her treasures into. Bending over, she picks up a smooth stone, striated with colors of maroon, gray, white and black. "Look at this one, mommy," Olivia squeals, dropping it into her mother's palm. Elena drops it in her pocket. They continue to walk, stopping when they reach what's left of an old ship. It stands like a sentinel, warning other ships of impending disaster that awaits them.

"Momma, the lighthouse." Olivia points to it. The massive building stands against the backdrop of the pristine water of the Pacific and the Robin's egg blue sky. Elena has loved coming here since she was a child. They would picnic, fish from the shore and she'd race her own father up the long and winding staircase to walk out onto tiny walk way that surrounds the optic section.

"Should we go inside and climb the staircase?"

"Ah ha," she says, clapping happily. Pulling her arm free, she runs ahead of her. Smiling, Elena shakes her head and then breaks into a run to catch up with her little pixie.

* * *

Elena is laying awake in her hospital room. She's waited for this day for so long, it's hard to believe that the it is finally here. Shifting in bed, she rolls onto her side to stare out through the window. The moon is full and illuminating her room, its light filtering in through the gaps in the blinds. She wonders if he's asleep or if he's staring outside at the same moon. Smiling at the thought, she glances at the clock. The seconds are ticking by, the hours winding down till it's finally time to begin her new life.

Elena developed type one diabetes when she was a teenager. She cried endlessly when she was diagnosed. It literally turned her whole world upside down. She would have to watch everything she eats, poke her fingers at least four times a day to check her sugars and give herself Insulin shots. One unplanned pregnancy later, her kidneys quit functioning. Olivia's father wanted nothing to do with her after their one night stand turned into a plus sign. She wears an insulin pump to monitor her blood sugars often. Everything that her doctor advised her to do, she did without fail. Still the stress of the pregnancy on her body was too much. When her baby was two months old, Elena had a fistula placed along with a dialysis catheter in her chest to use while her graft matured. She smiles when she remembers the day that Damon happened to grab her forearm. His hand lurched backwards when he felt the tell tale vibration in her fistula.

She's been in dialysis for three years already. She's been on a transplant list for some time too. Because her blood type is the most rare, no donor has been found, either living or cadaver. Her parents weren't a match, neither was her brother. Many but not all of her friends agreed to be tested but none were compatible either. Then _he_ came along and swept her off of her feet.

 _"Yes, Caroline, pop tarts are on my list and so are hot dogs... I'll be home as soon as I'm done here," Elena reassures her, pushing her cart forward without paying attention. Suddenly, she's slams into something causing a crashing sound and followed by a litany of colorful metaphors. She stares at the man, sitting on the floor, cereal boxes laying haphazardly on top of him and all over the floor. Elena laughs despite herself. That's when he looks up, his stern look morphing into a lazy smile right before her eyes. Elena steps around her cart and offers her hand to help him up. She's stunned speechless by the shock she feels as soon as she touches him and by the way her heart starts to thump wildly against her chest._

 _"I'm Damon."_

 _"I'm Elena. I'm so sorry," she says, blooming red with embarrassment at having knocked him down. Before she can say anything else, store clerks arrive to pick up the boxes and remake the display. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"_

 _"I would love that," Damon says. With a waggle of his brows, Damon takes her hand and presses his lips to the top of it._

 _"Um, how about if we go to that little diner across the street after we finish getting our groceries?"_

 _"I'll be waiting." When he smiles, Elena can only describe it as panty dropping. His whole face lights up. As she watches him walk away, she focuses her attention on his very fine and tight ass. She finds herself unconsciously licking her lips. Shaking herself out of it, she finishes her shopping then walks across the street to join him._

Elena found herself falling head over heals in a matter of weeks. Her daughter Olivia has Damon completely wrapped around her finger. She knew that for any relationship to grow and mature, she needed to be completely honest with him. Because her health is precarious at best, she explained it all but what unnerved her the most was introducing him to her daughter. But Damon being Damon charmed his way into all of their hearts with one big, beaming smile from his beautiful face. Because he's self employed, as long as he has a computer, he can work from anywhere so often he takes Olivia on her thrice weekly dialysis days. On those days, she's usually so tired that all she wants to do is sleep so she could not be more grateful to him for helping her out.

 _"Hey babe, I'm going to take Miss Olivia to the waterpark. You get some rest." Elena takes his hand and gives it a squeeze._

 _"Thank you," she whispers, barely able to keep her eyes open. Without saying another word, he leans over and brushes a kiss first to her lips and then to her forehead. After he covers her up with an afghan, he lifts Olivia into his arms._

 _"Bye mommy," she says just as she and Damon step through the door._

 _"Goodbye," she whispers just before her eyes fall closed._

As with all renal failure patients, she takes many medications and has had more blood transfusions than she cares to remember. Her chronic anemia also contributes to her malaise. One day she found him doing research about organ donation. He told her that he wanted to be tested to see if he could give her one of his kidneys. After dropping Olivia off at her parent's home, Damon and Elena walked hand in hand into her nephrologist's office. Dr. St. John went into detail everything Damon would have to do to see if he would be a match which would allow them to proceed. He went onto explain that everyone who wants to donate is asked to go through a number of tests and examinations."

"Please explain," Damon asks, linking Elena's hand with his own.

"These checks are designed to ensure that the would be donor is healthy enough to give a kidney, that his kidneys are currently working well and that he has to be both physically and emotionally prepared for the donation. Your safety and well-being would be a priority for the medical teams. You should also be aware that there may be a number of reasons why you might not be suitable to donate. The tests and checks can take several months. They include medical, surgical and psychological assessments," Dr. St. John adds, letting his words linger.

Without a moment's hesitation, Damon wanted to put the ball in motion but Elena insisted that he must take some time to really think it over. He flew to his parents home in Idaho to discuss it with them. As soon as he returned, they went to the lab to have his blood drawn. Miraculously, he turned out to be a perfect match. That night they took Olivia to her parents house so the two of them could have a private celebration.

 _Damon suggested that they rent a room at one of the seaside motels for the night. Immediately she loved the idea. They went out for a seafood supper, he had lobster and she had crab. As soon as they returned to their room, Elena took all of her medications. At his insistence, they change into their swimsuits and walk barefoot onto the beach. It's not dark yet. The sun is casting a rainbow of colors in the western sky, oranges, yellows, purples, reds. It's like something out of a Bob Ross painting. In a surprise move, Damon picks her up and runs down to water. She's squealing loudly when he walks into the surf. Her screaming soon changes to laughter when he pulls her under the water._

 _When she stands up, she starts to splash him and then runs to the shore. She watches him as he stalks out of the water and towards her. She's mesmerized by the rivulets of water that run down his sculpted chest. He pushes the hair out of his eyes as he closes the distance between them. Finding it difficult to breathe, she runs into his arms. He picks her up again and she wraps her legs around his middle. She cups one of his cheeks with her palm. His blue eyes are glittering like precious gems in the twilight. He's a beautiful man, inside and out. Dropping her mouth to his ear, she whispers huskily, "I want you."_

 _Even with sun sinking below the horizon, she can see his eyes darken when he strokes her cheek. Heat crackles between them making her heart thunder inside of her chest. Her gaze darts from his eyes to his plump lips. Without hesitating, he slips his tongue inside of her mouth. Elena kisses him back with a hunger she's never known before. She squeezes her legs tighter around his middle, bringing his body even closer to her own. Elena trails her fingers up the side of his neck to tangle in his wet hair._

 _He grunts and squeezes tighter himself till their bodies are flush. The friction of their chests sliding together makes her nipples ache with need. She moans when she feels his growing bulge press into her belly. When she comes up for air, she untangles her legs and slides off of him and looks around. She winks at him and takes his hand, pulling him down the beach till they find the perfect little spot, secluded by the towering stone sentinels. Wanting to touch him more than she wants her next breath, she runs her hands down his chest, his abs and then finally she strokes his rather impressive bulge. She drops down, lowering his swim trunks with her. Elena glances up at him, smiling when she sees how dark and heavy lidded his eyes are._

 _Without taking hers from his, she envelopes him in her mouth. She uses her hands to stroke his length and then she lightly scratches that spot between his sack and his puckered opening. Damon groans loudly and tips his head back which pushes his length farther into her mouth. With a few more flicks and presses with her tongue, he loses his load, releasing himself inside of her. Her name leaves his lips with a reverence that scorches her insides._

 _As soon as he can see straight again, he hooks his fingers in the swim suit bottom and brings it down her long svelte legs. Then he unties the string around her neck, freeing her breasts for him to feast upon. His lips blaze a trail of heat down her neck, over her shoulder and to the valley of her breasts. He cups them with his hands while stroking her nipples with his thumbs. With his eyes fixed on hers, he leans forward to take one of her of them into his mouth. He strokes it with his tongue while his mouth sucks deeply and rhythmically as if nursing from her ample bosom._

 _"Oh God, Damon." She weaves her fingers into his hair, holding him close, refusing to let him release her breast. She suddenly feels his fingers skimming along her inner thigh teasing her opening by just pressing the tip in. The next thing she knows, she's laying on sand with Damon laying between her parted legs. He runs his mouth along her thighs, moving in an upward trajectory to where she wants him the most. He blows a puff of air on her heated flesh causing Elena's toe to curl. Using his tongue, he drags it along her folds till he reaches her aching clit. He takes it in his mouth and uses his tongue to tease it. While his mouth is engaged, he lowers his fingers and plunges them inside. As his fingers work her, he plunders her engorged pearl with his mouth. Pleasure swamps her circuits causing her to cry out as waves of unbridled ecstasy pummel through her as she tumbles hand over foot into the most intense orgasm she's ever experienced._

 _"More, Damon. I need more." she moans, her vision still hazy. She feels his cock brush across the crease of her thigh just before she feels the tip at her opening. Dropping his mouth, he takes her lips in an ardent kiss while slipping inside of her gorgeous body. Elena wraps her arms around his middle, holding him close. She sucks in a deep shuddering breath when he starts to move and pushes his cock in further. She wraps her calves around him, pulling him in even deeper and his body tighter against hers. "Perfect," she pants, struggling to keep her eyes open. She wants to see his face when he reaches his end. Her man is so beautiful when he surrenders himself to the throes of ecstasy._

 _Damon seizes her lips in a ferocious kiss, one that sets her body on fire yet again.. He pulls back and glides in, back and forth, over and over. The cool breeze blowing in off of the water isn't enough to cool the inferno that was beginning to burn out of control between them, instead it feeds the fire. She rakes her nails along his back. Damon groans as he drives forward again, his cock dragging along her core causing little eruptions to burst everywhere inside of her. Damon holds himself above her, pulling out and pushing in. Although it's hard, she keeps her eyes focused on his face. She watches every grimace and gasp. She reaches down to cradle the curve of his ass, anchoring her hands on his firm gluts. She uses them to pull him in deeper with each thrust. With their eyes fixed on each other, the erotic pleasure is simply too much. The next moment their bodies begin to rock in tandem. Within a few moments, she feels his thrusts become chaotic. Seconds later, Damon explodes with a long serrated moan as he releases inside, intensifying her pleasure monumentally._

 _They lay together for a long time, bathed by the warmth of the night and each other's arms. Elena never wants this moment to end. Being in Damon's arms is magic. When she snuggles in closer to him, he strokes her cheek and drops his mouth to hers. He whispers, "I love you" against them before kissing her so hard that she sees stars._

* * *

They both check into the hospital the night before to get prepped for their surgeries. Damon spends most of the evening laying beside her in the bed. He has one arm wrapped around her shoulders to pull her next to him. She feels him press a kiss to the top of her head. She watches him reach into the pocket of his hospital robe. Her lips part when she sees the little black box. "Damon?"

He opens the box and takes out the delicate antique looking emerald cut diamond ring. The tears flickering in his eyes match her own. She can see how hard he's trying to regain his composure. He takes her hand and gives it a tender squeeze. "I love you so much Elena. I can't begin to find the right words to express how deeply that is. When this is all over, will you marry me?"

"Damon, yes, yes, I'll marry you. I'd be honored to be your wife." Tears are running freely down her cheeks when she cradles his and joins their lips. Before they're ready to break apart, they hear a knock on the threshold of her room door.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but he needs to go to his room."

"Can't I stay with my fiancé?" Damon asks, waggling his brows at her teasingly.

"I'm sorry but you both need to get a good night's sleep. A lot is going to happen tomorrow." Tina the night nurse explains.

Sighing sadly, Damon drops his lips to hers, once more taking them in a spectacular kiss and then with and an exaggerated huge pout on his face, he tells her he loves her before dutifully following the nurse out of her room. Staring at the ring on her finger, she clutches her hand against her chest and closes her eyes, her heart exploding with love for her man.

* * *

"Elena," the nurse says softly. Hearing her name, Elena opens her eyes. It's not that she was asleep anyway. "Surgery just called. They'll be here shortly to pick you up."

"Can I see him before I go?" she asks, covering her mouth when she starts to yawn.

"They're going to pick him up at the same time so you should be able to see him."

"I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank him."

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Elizabeth winks as she's slipping the blood pressure cuff on Elena's arm. As soon as the nurse finishes her vital signs, a cart is being wheeled in to take her to her to the surgery suite. Elena slides onto it and is then pushed out of the room towards the elevator.

"I need to see him before," Elena blurts out, feeling a little panic building when she doesn't see him.

"They went to get him at the same time. We'll wait a few minutes," the nurse Amber reassures her. When she hears the elevator door open, Elena raises up on her elbow, a huge smile forming as soon as she sees Damon.

"Hey you," Damon says, raising up on his own elbow when the nurse pushes their gurneys together. They both lean forward till their foreheads touch. Gently he strokes her cheek with his other hand. Cupping it, he pulls their lips together. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, Damon."

"I hate to interrupt but we need to get this show on the road," Sam, the nurse pushing Damon's cart points out.

"Be that way," Damon quips. He strokes Elena's cheek and takes her mouth in another languid kiss. Before he's pulled away, he says I love you once more against her lips then lays back down on his gurney, holding her hand until the carts split to go into their separate surgery suites.

* * *

 _The announcement blares loudly over the hospital's speaker system but Damon does not hear it. His eyes do not squint at the onslaught of bright lights shining at them. He cannot feel the rhythmic compressions against his chest. He cannot taste the tube as it slides down his throat. He does not feel the air being forced into his lungs. He does not feel anything. But he does smell the salty sea air as he makes love to her on the moonlit sand._

* * *

The next morning, Elena wakes up. A short time later the critical care physician comes in to extubate her. After examining her, the doctor leaves and soon after her parents come in. Olivia is too young to visit. "Have you seen Damon?" she asks, her voice a little raspy from the endotracheal tube.

"Sweetheart," her mom starts to say when Elena happens to notice Damon's brother standing in her doorway. What scares her is that his eyes are red and puffy.

"Stefan?"

"There's no easy way to say this, Elena..." He pauses to pinch the bridge of his nose, stopping the tears that are threatening to fall. Several seconds pass before he looks at her again. Taking her hand, he tightens his lips then blurts out the unthinkable. "Damon died last night. A blood clot."

Too stunned to speak, Elena's mouth opens and closes as she shakes her head back and forth. "No, no, no, no, he can't be," she screams. Her heart starts to stammer out of control setting off her alarms. She's flailing in bed, trying to get out. She has to see him. Before she can even utter another word, the nurse injects something into her IV line, within moments she shrouded in darkness again.

* * *

Elena and Olivia reach her car after finishing their climb at the lighthouse. Elena unlocks the door and leans inside to pick up the urn that holds Damon's ashes. The sun hits her engagement ring just right, creating a rainbow of prisms on the inside of the vehicle. Despite the sadness of the day, she can't help but smile, somehow believing that it's a sign from him. She wipes her eyes and then stands up and locks the car again. With Olivia by her side and Damon's remains in her arms, they walk down the sand towards that cluster of monoliths that they made love under all those months ago. Unable to hold in the tears, she smiles down at her daughter when the little girl takes her hand.

"I love you mommy."

"I love you too, baby girl." As soon as they reach the rocks, Elena helps Olivia to crawl up on one. She hands her Damon's urn and then climbs up herself. With a heavy heart and Olivia by her side, she twists the lid off of container. "I'll love you forever, Damon," she says aloud and then she sprinkles his ashes into the water, on top of the rocks for the wind to spread far and wide and finally the last little bit on the sandy spot that will always be precious to her. She stares out over the ocean and suddenly she sees a flash of a prism in the sky too. She smiles because now she knows that he's okay.

"Bye, bye, Damon," Olivia cries, wrapping her arms around one of Elena's legs and squeezing.

Elena rubs her back and when she quiets down, they climb off of the rocks. She will always carry Damon inside of her. Elena looks aback at the rocks where Damon now lies. As much as it hurts to leave him behind, she has to live, for her daughter and for _him._ Feeling Olivia tug on her shirt, she drops her eyes and links their hands. "Let's go home."

 _Dear Elena,_

 _If you're reading this, it means I'm not here any longer to tell you these words in person. I know you wanted to write me a letter and it's not that I didn't want it, I didn't want to see the words goodbye from you. I needed you to fight... And then I decided to write one for you..._

 _I never knew the real meaning of love until you literally knocked me over. I thought I had loved before but those feelings pale in comparison to everything I feel for you. There are no words to adequately express how much I do love you. Whenever I see your beautiful face or hold_ _ **our**_ _precious daughter in my arms, even the sound of your voice makes my heart explode with so much love, it's impossible to quantify it._

 _I want you to know, I died a happy man. You and Olivia filled my life with so much happiness that I know it will see me through till one day when I can hold you again.. I want you to be happy and raise our daughter to be a woman as kind and beautiful as you, Elena. I wrote her a letter too that you can give her when she's old enough. I love Olivia as if she's my own and she is._

 _But most of all, Elena, I don't want you to feel guilty. Even if I knew what the outcome would be in advance, I wouldn't hesitate even a millisecond to do it all over again._

 _Be happy, Elena. I love you with everything that I am.. Yours forever, Damon._

* * *

 _Huge thank you to Eva. I love you dearly. Thanks for being on this journey with me._

 _Story title courtesy of Bonnie Tyler._

 _Synopsis quote courtesy of David Nicholls from 'One Day'._

 _My cat Josephine, my daughter named her. I called her Josie, she died very unexpectedly Thursday. She was a beautiful calico colored cat, gray, white and tan and only 4 years old. She seemed fine the night before but when I woke up Thursday morning, she couldn't use her hind legs. I called the vet but they couldn't see her till the afternoon. She died two hours before I could get her to him. I had this idea but grief is a powerful emotion and the story spilled out after that._

 _Please review..._

 _Have a safe and wonderful weekend. Thank you all again._


End file.
